ML20207E048

Staff Requirements Memo Re SECY-99-099, Transmittal of Staff Safety Evaluation of DOE Topical Rept on Tritium Production Core. Advises That Commission Has Not Objected to Proposed Issuance of Safety Evaluation as NUREG-1672

ML20207E048
Person / Time
Issue date:	05/18/1999
From:	Vietticook A NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY)
To:	Beecher W, Rathbun D, Travers W NRC OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS (OCA), NRC OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS (OPA), NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
References
REF-10CFR9.7, RTR-NUREG-1672 SECY-99-099-C, SECY-99-99-C, NUDOCS 9906040149
Download: ML20207E048 (3)

Text

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. . . .gg ---~ j MEMORANDUM TO: William D. Travers  !

Executive Director for Operations

William Beecher, Director Office of Public Affairs Dennis K. Rathbun, Director .

OMice of Congressional Affairs

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FROM: ' 0 Anneite Vietti-Cook, Secretary

SUBJECT:

STAFF REQUIREMENTS - SECY-99-099 - TRANSMITTAL OF THE STAFF'S SAFETY EVALUATION OF DOE'S TOPICAL REPORT ON THE TRITIUM PRODUCTION CORE This is to advise you that the Commission has not objected to the proposed issuance of the safety evaluation as NUREG-1672 and preparation of a Federal Reaister notice to announce the availability of the stafs safety evaluation related to DOE's topical report en the tritium production core.

Given the national importance of the tritium production mission, the staff should prepare for the Chairman's signature, a letter to notify the Secretary of Energy and the appropriate Congressional Committees of the SER's availability and general findings. A proposed draft is attached for the staff's consideration. OPA should prepare a press release for issuance to follow Congressional notification.

(EDO/OPA/OCA) (SECY Suspense: 6/11/99)

Before the SER is issued, t'he Background discussion on page 1-2 of the SER should be revised to acknowledge the Congressional direction to DOE, NRC, and others regarding policy issue identification and resolution by adding the following insert at the end of the first paragraph of page 1-2 of the SER.

"However, it should be noted that consistent with Congressional direction in the }l Conference Report on H. R.1119, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year Q

' 1998 (House Report 105-340), the Department of Energy involved NRC in the .yI))

interagency policy discussions which led to the July 1998 report to Congress on the non-proliferation implications of attemative tritium production technologies."

. SECY NOTE: TO BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE 5 BUSINESS DAYS AFTER THE LETTERS AND REPORTS ARE DISPATCHED.

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k l In addition, on page 1-3, at the end of the first full paragraph add:

. .. before the conclusion of a hearing). (See .Section 4,~2iDetermination;ofMoAlgrtificant Hazards Consideration).

. On pages 4-1 and 4-2, amend the last paragraph of Chapter 4 to read as follows:

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Before the Commission can reach a final determination regarding a no significant hazards consideration on any license amendment request, the staff must complete its plant-specific review. Accordingly, a gernedc no significant hazards determination cannot be made at this time, based wholly on the TPC topical report. ,HowsyernanyJconsee whpatshmils a plard speciHc appilostion.for an'amendrpentiopse tdtium$roducing bungsble absorber rods. meyl meet thepo; significant tiazards consideration determination I (whighmould allow the amendment to become e#sctive before,the' conclusion of a hearing)(providing that no_ additional significa_nt Issuos beyond the. scope'of the topical report 'are identified.in the license amendment . request.

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Attachment:

As stated cc: Chairman Jackson Commissioner Dicus Commissioner Diaz Commissioner McGaffigan Commissioner Merrifield i

OGC l CIO CFO l OlG Office Directors, Regions, ACRS, ACNW, ASLBP (via E-Mail) 1 PDR l

DCS i

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Attachment

Dear Mr. Secretary / Member of Congress':

I am pleased to inform'you that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has completed another milestone in its interaction with the Department of Energy's program to produce tritium

. in a commercial light water reactor. The staff has issued its safety evaluation report (SER) on the Department of Energy's topical report on the tritium production core.

Many technical issues have been satisfactorily addressed in the DOE topical report, according to the staff review. The topical report and the staffs SER should prove to be useful reference documents for a licensee preparing a specific license amendment request for suihorization to irradiate a full-cure load of tritium-producing bumable absorber rods in a particular reactor

~ facility. - In addition, the NRC staff review has identified several plant-specific interface issues and potential technical specification changes to be addressed in the license amendment application.

The NRC intends to continue to provide focused attention to DOE's tritium production needs and intends to carry out an expeditious and thorough review of any license amendments submitted by the Tennessee Valley Authority for production of tritium in the Watts Bar and Sequoyah -

plants.

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